Forced to take bribe, man killed self

The Tamil Nadu government has been directed by the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the family of an employee in the Commercial Taxes department, who, committed suicide in 2007 for allegedly being forced by his senior to collect ‘mamools’ (bribes) and pass them on to him.

The amount so paid should be collected from the salary of A Rajaram, currently working as Additional Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Chennai, SHRC’s acting chairman Justice K Baskaran said on October 16.

The Commission also directed the government to take appropriate disciplinary action against Rajaram. In his complaint, S Murugan submitted that his brother S Jayalingam was working as Assistant Commercial Tax Officer in Karaikudi. Rajaram, the then Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Madurai, forced Jayalingam to collect mamool from traders in the locality and pass them on to him. As Jayalingam refused, he was humiliated and threatened with suspension and dismissal from service. Unable to bear the torture, Jayalingam consumed poison on June 19, 2007 and died on the very next day.

On receipt of the complaint, the SHRC directed its own investigation team to probe the complaint. In its report, the probe agency confirmed the averments of the complainant. Rajaram also did not respond to the notices issued by the SHRC on several occasions.

Holding that Rajaram was responsible for the death of Jayalingam, the Commission directed the government to pay the compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the family of Jayalingam, recover the same from Rajaram and to initiate appropriate disciplinary proceedings against him.

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